I'm a tank...but I think I may suck

[Guolstyrm]

I've had the game now for nearly 30 days. FFXIV is my first MMO and I chose tank because it appealed to me the most. I've thoroughly enjoyed the game thus far, but recently I've hit my first real bump in the road.

I think I may suck at tanking. This wasn't an issue until I hit the lvl 40+ content.

My biggest issue is that I don't know how to optimize the rotation for WAR. The other issue is managing aggro on larger mobs. I'll be totally honest here - I struggle to keep up with what's going on when pulling a large mob (like 4+). I find it difficult to keep up my various buffs, monitor health, and manage aggro on a lot of enemies. I know there is an aggro meter and an enemy list that shows whether you're aggro'd or not, but I still have issues as sometimes an enemy won't be in the list for some reason. I play on the PS4 and I have trouble cycling through the enemies as well - sometimes I end up inadvertently targeting an ally and can't target the enemy I want quickly. It doesn't help either when other players want to get through the content quickly (and understandably so since many people have done these dungeons countless times) and attack ahead of me and spread the mob's aggro, making me struggle to get it back.

In some of the 40+ dungeons, I've had other players get irritated with me because I pull smaller groups, slowing the content down. I always make it a habit of telling others when it's my first time in a dungeon - and several times people just abandon the dungeon after I say so. That is somewhat disheartening. I want to keep playing the game, but having others get mad because I lose aggro and/or die because I was solely focusing on aggro and not paying enough attention to my health isn't very fun.

tl;dr - I like tanking, but I want to be better than I am. Are there any hints or tricks to managing aggro and keeping track of everything (health, buffs, cd's, aggro, other player's health)?

Edit: My avatar still shows me at lvl 33 for whatever reason, but I'm 45 now.

[silverlunarfox]

snip

I'm a Warrior but its been a very long time since I've tanked at 40 esp with the new changes. Before we could use the Paladin's flash to help keep aggro. But in regards to people pulling let them pull and die. You are the tank. YOU decide what gets pulled. Accidents happen but obvious pulls are obvious. let them tank them. Don't worry yourself over it.

The Aggro list is your biggest tool. Always hit everything esp as a Warrior. I do understand PS4 targeting sucks, I used to play on it as well. It takes practice to get well. You do not suck. I think you just need more practice. Which is OK. So keep practicing. Also, take advantage of hooking up a mouse or using the touch pad to click on an enemy if you can't seem to target it through cycling. That helped me alot when I started before I got used to the PS4 targeting insanity.

Also people who abandon because youre new, youre better off without them anyways.

Add me in Lamia and I can help out if you'd like at least I'll never abandon you! ^.^ And I love running dungeons constantly, which I think is the best way to learn.

There are guides floating around the internet with rotations for Warrior that help. But the biggest thing that helped me was running dungeons alot, both with friends and randoms. Sometimes the best way to learn and try things out, is just by doing. Also I have this friend who is an insane aggro stealing BLM to help me learn how to hold aggro, not by choice..... >.>

[Camiie]

I'm still learning the trade myself, so I won't try to offer you advice on the mechanics of tanking, but I'll say that if people get attitudes and leave look at it as a positive. You don't have to put up with their crap anymore, and they're really just hurting themselves. It's like a kid who refuses to eat because he didn't get his way. It's not mom and dad who are going to be hungry later, just like you're not the one who's going to be stuck in a lengthy lockout or queue. What they've done is a reflection on their own personality flaws, not your tanking skill.

[bswpayton]

I've had the game now for nearly 30 days. FFXIV is my first MMO and I chose tank because it appealed to me the most. I've thoroughly enjoyed the game thus far, but recently I've hit my first real bump in the road.

I think I may suck at tanking. This wasn't an issue until I hit the lvl 40+ content.
.

The issue wit warrior is that it attacks n a cone shape, while the others do not, if the prob continues Id try pali see how you like them dont give up and always be ok with accepting advice

[mrt617]

I think the best advice would be to keep at it. With more practice you will get better. As far as rotations there are some good guides on youtube. Really you can never go wrong in hitting overpower a few times in the mobs you are trying to control. Also steel cylcone is a good ability to use for controlling hate on groups.

[AlisonDilaurentis]

I'm on ps4 as well if you press L1 + O it will change your targeting to Enemies only and then using left and right on the d-pad will not Target your allies. The way that I switch though is if you're holding R2 or L2 you can use R1 and L1 to cycle through your enemies. Try and watch whatever enemy has the least amount of health because that's the one that's most likely going to get ripped off you unless you see you clearly have enmity just cycle through and see if any are close to being ripped off

[silverlunarfox]

Try and watch whatever enemy has the least amount of health because that's the one that's most likely going to get ripped off you unless you see you clearly have enmity just cycle through and see if any are close to being ripped off

I want to add to this, ones with most amount of health is usually ripped off by healers. Least amount of health, dps.

[Guolstyrm]

Thanks for the replies, guys. :3 Just felt a little discouraged this morning for whatever reason so I appreciate the words and advice.

~Snip

Hey, another Lamia person. ^_^ I'll def add you! Probably be the end of next week since I'll be out of town soon. I will try to find some newer 4.0 guides online! I might try the mouse method...I hadn't thought of that.

~Snip

You're no doubt right. I'm sure that the dungeon runs are better off without people who would abandon just because of a newbie. Still kind of a sucky feeling.

~Snip

I actually just unlocked Steel Cyclone yesterday so I need to play around with it and see if it helps. It looks very useful for larger mobs since it's not cone shaped.

~Snip

Thanks for that tip about targeting especially! I had no idea. That should help A LOT.

[silverlunarfox]

Thanks for the replies, guys. :3 Just felt a little discouraged this morning for whatever reason so I appreciate the words and advice.


Hey, another Lamia person. ^_^ I'll def add you! Probably be the end of next week since I'll be out of town soon. I will try to find some newer 4.0 guides online! I might try the mouse method...I hadn't thought of that.

I am on nights and weekends typically! ^.^ if you use discord you can find me there too at Loki#0140.

Also that mouse method was a life saver esp for rolling on items quickly. I had hooked up a keyboard/mouse wirelessly to the PS4 and didnt think I'd use the mouse, but it worked better than I thought it would.

[Lustaria]

I'm not a tank, but I did used to heal on console and what I learned quick was also the fact that I can target party members by hitting up and down on the d-pad while targeting enemies with left and right. It might be a thing I set up and forgot about in Character Config, because it does have a targeting thing somewhere in there so I'd take a glance at that if you want. =D